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Dodge Neon ACR: It’s Dead! Oct 16, 2008

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As our production editor says, “Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.”

Well, yesterday morning we were the bug. While we were on our way to work for the first time in our reanimated Neon, the car died quite suddenly. Looks like we’ve got some diagnostic work to do. We’re hoping that it’s something simple, but rarely is anything simple when you’re up against a deadline.

Turns out that the problem isn’t simple, as we’ve had a cospatial event between the valves and the pistons thanks to a slipped timing belt.

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Comments

jamesp:

Ouch. I have to fix mine too, albeit not as bad. The last RallyCross pulled the exhaust free and tore a hole in the trunk. Not nearly as labor-intensive to fix, but frustrating nevertheless.
Oct 14, 2008 8:31 p.m.

Javelin:

So the rebuild needs to be rebuilt already? Wow that sucks. Been there, done that, but luckily on a non-interference engine. Good luck!
Oct 16, 2008 11:25 a.m.

Per Schroeder:

Yea, I believe the powersteering pump froze and put enough torque on the crank pulley to stop everything. I've found a cheap head and it's on the way. I'll be out a few hundred bucks…no big deal. It's the time that pisses me off.
Oct 16, 2008 11:43 a.m.

Wowak:

So I suppose this means I won't be seeing you at the RallyCross Natl. Championships? Thats too bad.
Oct 16, 2008 6:32 p.m.

jmthunderbirdturbo:

gotta love rebuilding a 6 mile motor…of course, had you been drag racing it, that would have been 24 passes LOL …which wouldnt be bad bad for a alcohol car i guess… :P
Oct 16, 2008 8:20 p.m.

neon4891:

sounds like what happened to me last year, but it made it 20 miles after getting the engine repaired that it died on me again
Oct 17, 2008 11:12 a.m.

jamesp:

“cospatial event”: I like that. At my work, we use “incident” a lot…
Oct 18, 2008 9:35 a.m.

Wowak:

Kind of like when an atlas rocket blows up 30 seconds after takeoff and they announce “Theres been an anomaly.”
Oct 18, 2008 3:46 p.m.

iceracer:

I'm just wondering how a frozen P/s pump can cause a timing belt failure. Doesn't compute.
Oct 19, 2008 11:21 a.m.

turborex87:

Sounds like a bad water pump to me or a pluged oil passage to the head locking up the cam. Either way something had to stop turning to cause the belt to jump ship. Could be a great time for a three angle valve job and port&polish! The PS pump drive/damper pulley isn't keyed to the crankshaft, it's pressed on.
Oct 19, 2008 10:34 p.m.

Per Schroeder:

that's just a guess at this point..I heard the p/s making grumbly noises and a few squeals (followed by lack of p/s boost) and a short while later the belt skipped on overrun–with that same squeal/loss of p/s boost. Dunno. newer head/gasket set on the way.
Oct 20, 2008 5:45 a.m.

bc:

Hm. I've never had a p/s pump go bad enough to make a timing belt jump - you may want to have a look at the t/b tensioner. And if the p/s is making that bad bearing grumble, seems like it's time to replace, of course. bc
Oct 20, 2008 11:59 a.m.

jamesp:

Will it return to RallyCross greatness? Inquiring minds want to know… After the Turner's roll at Nats, mine is off having the bolt-in Kirk rollbar replaced with an RA-legal cage, and some other goodies over the winter.
Dec 8, 2008 6:46 p.m.

Per Schroeder:

It was actually the camshaft that seized…ahh…the beauty of a used head. I've got another used head that's going on soon.
Dec 8, 2008 7:40 p.m.

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